The invention concerns a fishing reel including a line spool rotatably supported on both sides of its flanges in a support frame and which through a drive mechanism stands in driving connection with a hand crank, and also including a coupling device with a clutch mechanism operable by means of a hand lever for selectively breaking the drive connection between the hand crank and the line spool.
Fishing reels of the above-described type are usually fastened to the fishing rod so that the fishing line runs from the line spool directly parallel to the rod. In use the fishing rod is generally so held that the reel is positioned upwardly. If the tackle is now to be cast, the angler takes a swing and at a given point in time presses with the thumb of the rod holding hand on a key-like hand lever to release the coupling, thereby freeing the line spool and therewith enabling the fishing line to run out without hindrance. In the course of this the angler controls the amount of runout line and thereby the distance of the cast by more or less braking the spool during the running out of the line by the thumb which operated the hand lever.
Also, fishing reels are known which are fastened to the fishing rod by means of a T-shaped foot and which, during use, hang below the rod. In the case of these fishing reels the spool is arranged with its shaft parallel to the rod. The line is wound onto or off of the spool through a line-catching bail rotatable around the spool. A possibilty also exists of folding back the bail and allowing the line to run off directly from the spool. In any event, upon the winding up and winding off of the line the bail is rotated. This hanging arrangement of the reel has certain advantages especially when large fish are to be caught and large tension forces are expected. On the other hand, the angler with these reels does not have the capability, upon the casting of the tackle, to influence the spool and therefore the cast by sensitively braking the spool in the same way as is the case with the previously described reel.
The invention has as its object the provision of a fishing reel wherein the advantages of both of the previously described types of fishing reels are combined in one reel.